New Delhi: A representative body of the Indian Gorkhas has demanded immediate review the Indo-Nepal treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1950 and also urged the Centre to put a halt to the recruitment of Nepalese citizens in the Indian Army as these create a misconception about the very status of the Indian Gorkhas.
"It's high time the Government of India reviewed the Treaty with Nepal." This was the unequivocal demand that came out of the three-day National Council Meet and Convention of the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, which concluded in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The demands form part of resolutions that were passed at the three-day meet. The other resolutions include an appeal to the Union Government to grant a separate state for the Indian Gorkhas in order to end the ambiguity regarding their nationality.
The meet decided that the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh would strive to protect the rights and secure the future of bonafide Indian Gorkhas in the states of North-East India. It demanded that the Indian Gorkhas get the rights and allowances as applicable to linguistic minorities.
The meet also demanded that the Union Government confer the prerogative of issuing 'Gorkha Certificate' on the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh. A 'Gorkha Certificate' is a prerequisite for Indian Gorkhas intending to join the armed forces, the police service and paramilitary forces.
The three-day meet was also addressed by Union Minister for Heavy Industries Santosh Mohan Deb and Minister of State for Home Affairs, Prakash Jaiswal, among others.
In his address, Jaiswal assured the Indian Gorkhas that they would not face any discrimination arising out of the misconception regarding their nationality. He described Gorkhas as an integral part of India. Santosh Mohan Deb also assured the Gorkhas that the UPA government would strive to accord them their rightful place in mainstream society. He said the role of Indian Gorkhas and their contribution during the Freedom Struggle could never be denied.
The meeting felicitated 97-year-old former Lance Naik Jas Bahadur Thapa, who was the first Gorkha soldier to receive the Vir Chakra in independent India. Thapa was awarded the Vir Chakra for displaying exemplary courage and valour during the Pakistani aggression immediately after India attained Independence. On January 1, 1948 Thapa single-handedly captured an important hill feature in the Ladakh region.
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